


Crashing Waves

by The_Shy_One



Series: Anchor to Your Soul and Follow all the Way North, Back Home [2]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Weather, Confessions, Dragon AU, Dragon Armorer, Dragon Din Darjin, Flirting, Keldabe Kiss, M/M, One Shot, Sea Serpent Paz Vizla, Shapeshifting, Weather
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26465428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Shy_One/pseuds/The_Shy_One
Summary: On an island in the middle of the sea on a water planet, Din hears something that changes his view on Paz Vizla.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Paz Vizsla, The Armorer (The Mandalorian TV) & Din Djarin
Series: Anchor to Your Soul and Follow all the Way North, Back Home [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1923937
Comments: 8
Kudos: 87





	Crashing Waves

Standing on the shore of one of few dotted islands on this planet, letting the waves crawl over his claws as Din waited to see if Paz would poke his head from the waters. At his side, the Armorer stood, scanning the waters through her veil as the waves continued to crash onto their laws and feet. The threat of a storm loomed on the horizon with darkening clouds and the sounds of thunder that continued to creep closer and closer the longer the two of them stood on the shore.

Din didn’t move, not even when the rain began to fall gently from the sky, wind picking up speed. He would wait with his leader for Paz to make his appearance, for it was his doing that was bringing the three of them back together. Possibly more if Paz could convince the others that he’d found to follow him back to the Armorer’s hidden cavern on the icy planet so far from here. 

Glancing at the Armorer, he saw that her golden scales wetly shined from the rain, the horns at the crown of her head glistening white. If there had been sunlight, he was sure she would shine as brightly as treasure. Din wondered if her eyes were the same colour - if in a different shade. She knew his - dark brown -, had even complimented them when he was a boy when he was still a foundling to the Covert. She hadn’t been their leader just yet, closer to Paz’s age when he was brought in by Death Watch infantry.

She had been calm and kind, a presence that had given Din comfort before his buir had met and adopted him. Even when his buir had perished during one of her hunts for a bounty, the Armorer offered comfort that Din wouldn’t have been comfortable with accepting at the time. Even with how close they were - as close as he could with her being his leader -, he’d never seen her take her golden helmet off nor her black veil in all that time.

Maybe it was better not to ponder since it wasn’t the Way to see each other. Not when they had taken the oath to never take it off except for their spouse and children and done everything to keep their culture alive since the Purge.

Din focuses back on the water, watching as the waves start to grow bigger as the looming storm starts to head their way. He kept still, even when the waves that had lapped at his claws before had now started to push as his legs, insisting that he move backwards. Thunder grew louder and lightning started to flash. Rain began to fall harder, soaking every part of their bodies and bogging down their veils. The wind rushed past them now, trying to tear off their veils from their heads. They stood still, waiting for Paz to show himself.

This went for some time, the storm raging as they stood at the shore, unwilling to leave just yet. The waves now lapped at their stomachs, creating steam as a result of brushing up against the heat from the fire that burned warmly underneath their skin and scales. Din twisted his head to look at the Razor Crest which he landed as close to the treeline as possible. 

He’d hope that his kid stayed on the ship as they met up with Paz. The weather was too much for the ad’ika even if they could move objects with their mind. Din was starting to feel the effects of the storm and he was protected by his scales and thick hide of this form.

The Armorer nugs Din with her tail, getting his attention back onto the sea. In the distance, he could see a serpent’s head poking out of the water, similar in shape to what he remembered of Paz’s. It came closer, showing a familiar black veil that was woven into the serpent’s two horns on his head. The dark blue was familiar along with the pale scars that Paz earned when he protected the Covert in the missions he’d taken on in the past.

Paz got as close as he could to shore before stopping. He had no legs in this form, only teeth that could sink into any creature’s skin if they got close. Just as dangerous as the claws on Din’s and the Armorer’s feet.

“You came,” Paz said to the Armorer, bowing with his head at her. “Din wasn’t lying about you after all.”

“Din said you knew where there might be more members of the Covert. Can you bring them back to come with us back to a new hiding place?” She asked, not getting sidetracked by Paz’s usual bluntness. Din had to resist smiling, knowing his teeth would glint in the harsh rain.

“Yes, I can. After the storm has passed.”

She nodded, understanding the situation. “I will retire back to the Razor Crest. I’ll wait for Din to announce your arrival back.”

And then she was walking towards the ship, effortless shifting into her other form. 

She still had horns on her head and a body that could take a beating if necessary - Zebraks were stubborn about injuries, he had seen other Zebraks refuse any kind of healing to what they consider minor injuries - but Din always saw it as an extension of her dragon form. It was connected in a way that didn’t make sense to do it for others in the Covert.

Maybe it was how she remained herself regardless of which form she had taken. Other members acted differently when they had to go for one form or the other. It was something he’d notice since he had been taken into the Covert by them.

Din looked away when she was close to finishing her shift and stared at Paz instead. The serpent was closer to him now with the tide coming in. Din saw the blue scales were dripping with water, glistening the same way the Armorer’s had been. Steam rose around Din since the water was starting to cover the underside of his body.

“Aren’t you gonna get out of the water, Din’ika?” Paz said, smirking to the best of his abilities. It was ruined by the large fangs that rose past his lips and the fact that these forms didn’t support humanoid expressions well. At least anything beyond disinterest. “I thought you had a thing about water.”

Din let the nickname pass. Everyone called him that, regardless of how old he currently was. “What’s the point of getting out when the rain will keep me wet?”

Paz tilted his head. “Thought that the fire inside your stomach could get you dry?”

“I may breathe fire, Vizla, but I am not an open flame that can dry everything nearby,” Din says, exasperated. “Would you like it if I said,  _ ‘give me freshwater’ _ when using your abilities.”

Instead of making him growl as Din expected from the serpent, Paz let out a rumbling laugh. It was deeper than the thunder rolling over their head and yet it was filled with something light. It was something unexpected, not after all the fighting and posturing that the two had towards each other since they had enrolled in training.

Paz came closer, shifting his body so that his tail could skim over Din’s claws that were beneath the water. Somehow that made Din grow hotter which caused steam to thicken and rise quicker around him. “Din, are you saying that if you could, you would demand to drink water from  _ me?” _ Paz questioned, sounding delighted. Which Din couldn’t understand  _ why. _

“Wha? What do you me- WHAT!” Was all he could get out in response.

Paz laughed again, the sound making Din’s heart clench at hearing it. “Din’ika, are you that dense?”

“Spell it out Vizla or your face is going to get burned off in three seconds.”

“You’re no fun,” Paz said, pouting. “I like you and want to be with you. Is that enough for you to understand Din’ika?”

Hearing that made Din grow even warmer, steam billowing up and covering him from being seen by Paz. He had no answer to Paz, none whatsoever since he hadn’t known that the other Mandalorian felt that way about him. 

He’d only thought it was rivalry turned begrudging allies between them. He hadn’t thought that the other Mandalorian could feel something like what he had said to Din. And said so  _ casually _ as well!

Well, that part shouldn’t surprise him. Paz was in the habit of being blunt with everyone, regardless of how he felt about them. Or maybe that was all an image that was put on when Din was around.

Din didn’t know what to do now.

“You still there Din?” Paz asked worriedly. “I didn’t break you, right?” When Din still didn’t answer, Paz let out a soft  _ ‘Kriff’ _ and moved closer to Din.

“Din? You okay?” He asked, head breaking through the steam. The veil still covered his face, but it felt like that wasn’t enough to keep the serpent covered anymore. 

“Fine,” Din managed to get out, staring at the serpent. The dark blue scales were beautiful, now that he stared at them. Even the scars added beauty to Paz, something that he never would have considered - at least not this consciously - of the other Mandalorian until this moment.

“Good, you’re talking,” Paz said, amused. “You don’t have to do anything with me if you don’t want to, just wanted you to know how I felt. The last time we saw each other didn’t give me enough time to say anything since you went off after your kid and then you left with them.”

“How long have you felt...this way?” Din questioned. He had to know, he just did. All their interactions were zipping through his head, wondering what could have made the other Mandalorian consider him to desire like that.

Paz tilted his head side to side, similar to shrugging if he had been in his other form. “After seeing you come back from your first successful bounty after you had taken the oath? Something like that.”

It was said so casually, but it made Din suck in a breath. It had been that long? And Paz didn’t say anything during that time?

Din in all his brilliance of his brain being short-circuited thrice in the last few minutes decided he would walk forward and Keldabe kiss the other Mandalorian. It wasn’t as smooth as he’d seen of other pairs in the Covert - or the cheesy novels that he’d stored on holopad that he had stashed on the Razor Crest. In fact, their heads bumped each other roughly and caused the two of them to hiss lightly that the pain that came with Din rushing in.

“Sorry, sorry,” Din says as he pulls away. Paz quickly shifts closer, his tail wrapping around Din’s leg, keeping him still.

“It’s fine cyar’ika. Just an accident.” The serpent said gently. “Why don’t we try that again?”

Din nods and the serpent comes closer to him. Paz pressed part of his body to Din’s chest and moved his head so that he could press his forehead to Din’s without issue. Din’s heart quickly beating in his heart, his stomach growing warmer at the thought that Paz would be doing a Keldabe kiss with him.

He didn’t take notice of the steam that rose nor the crashing waves around them when Paz pressed his forehead to Din’s. Nor did he take notice of the Armorer watching through the windshield of the Razor Crest, smiling beneath her helmet as she settled the child down.

No, all Din noticed was how good it felt to do that. It was like something had been released in his mind and he couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to. 

They pulled away after a bit, staring at each other. Hot air was released from his mouth and it fanned over Paz’s body which caused the serpent to shiver for a moment. He heard Paz snorting in amusement as he pressed another Keldabe kiss to Din’s forehead. “You never noticed people when they stared at you, Din’ika? How can such a good bounty hunter be that thick?”

“Had more things to worry about,” Din said sulkily. “Wanted to be a good provider for the Covert.”

“You did a good job, Din. I might have harassed you about many things, but you did provide us with a way to keep living together when your buir died.” Even with the veil covering both of their faces, Din knew that the other Mandalorian was looking at him with care.

He had been looking at Din that way for a long time, sealed underneath a dark blue helmet.

Din pressed closer to the serpent, wanting to make up for the lost time between them. Din hoped there would be many more moments like this, close together and providing comfort.

**Author's Note:**

> Din'ika - Nickname, Little Din  
> Ad'ika - Little One
> 
> So, I wrote this out after pondering about Paz being a dragon. He's more of a serpent here, but I figured not all of the Mandalorians would be dragons that could walk on land, so here's the end result. This was so much fun to write, especially with Din's sudden realization that Paz likes him (though everyone else at the Covert could tell lol.) I might do more if anyone suggests any ideas/prompts my way on Tumblr at maul-antics.
> 
> Hopefully, it was a fun one-shot to read! :D


End file.
